SOCIAL care provider MiHomecare has reopened its office in Okehampton after securing a five-year contract to provide primary care in the Okehampton and Moretonhampstead areas with Devon County Council and two clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).

Devon County Council, NEW Devon CCG and South Devon and Torbay CCG arrange personal care and support for more than 4,000 people every week across the county, delivering over two-million hours of care and support to people in their own homes each year.

MiHomecare is one of three primary provider partners working with the council and the CCGs, and will be responsible for organising and delivering personal care services for people in the Okehampton and Moretonhampstead areas. They will also co-ordinate and support other local care providers that deliver care and support through this contract. To help support the new contract MiHomecare is reopening its office at Wykeham House in Okehampton.

In an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, Devon County Council’s vice chairman, Cllr Rose Rowe, opened the office on Thursday, July 7, welcoming members of the community, existing and prospective care users, and those interested in a career with MiHomecare to come along. The £7-million contract is expected to generate more than 60 care worker and office-based jobs in the area.

Narinder Singh, managing director of MiHomecare, said: ‘I’m delighted that we’re working in partnership with Devon’s health and social care authorities to deliver quality care in the area. It’s great that we’re expanding our service provision to Okehampton and Moretonhampstead and in doing so that we can offer new job opportunities for local people.’

On behalf of the three commissioning authorities, Devon County Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for adult social care, Cllr Stuart Barker said: ‘Good quality community-based care is essential to help support vulnerable people to live independently at home for longer. Our new contracts are an important step in helping to improve the quality and supply of personal care services, and to bring greater pride in the sector.

‘Care workers do a really important job for the people of Devon and we are investing more into these contracts to ensure that they will be paid for all the hours they work including travelling time and that they receive at least the national living wage.

‘It will also encourage support and training for staff to ensure a good supply of quality care services for the future.  These improvements extend to care workers employed by MiHomecare Limited and to carers sub-contracted to them for this agreement.   

‘MiHomecare Limited is a key partner in helping us to deliver better services, and by working closely with the many existing local providers we hope they can help us to drive improvement, increase efficiency and boost supply across the county.’